Pattern layout device



Dec. 3, 1957 R. P. BURKE 2,814,880

PATTERN LAYOUT DEVICE Filed Dec. 23. 1955 P031! 1. Baa/re ATTORNEY PATTERN LAYOUT DEVICE Rush Pearson Burke, Montgomery, Ala.

Application December 23, 1955, Serial No. 555,055 2 Claims. .(Cl. 33-104) This invention is a patternlayout device, the primary object of which is to prov-ide means of simple construction capable of being readily .applied; to;the surface to receive the pattern and throughtheinstrumentality of which the basis for fanciful geometricor other designs may be easily and quickly laid without the necessity of mathematical calculation or the use of geometrical instruments.

The invention is adapted primarily for use, in the layout of patterns or guides for the production of geometric or other designs for decorating .asurface, either for utilitarian use or for the pleasure, entertainment and amusement in Working out or producing such designs.

A further object ofthe invention. is ,to provide, apattern layout device to form the basis through-whieh. .the operator may easily and ingeniously involve pictorial or fantastic designs or reproductions which may vary in accordance with the artistic or fanciful genious of the operator of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pattern layout device of extremely simple construction and operation which provides means whereby children, or other inexperienced in evolving designs, may be taught to construct such designs, or with their limited ability may be able to construct symmetrical designs according to their own fancy.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with others which Will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a base plate constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the base plate with a series of overlay plates applied thereto progressively reducing in diameter.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through line 33 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Fig. 4 is a plan View of an additional overlay element to be associated with the base plate, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a design of geometric character and of simple form evolved from the use of the base plate and the overlay plates or disks.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the base plate shown in Fig. 1 is, in this instance, of circular formation, but it will be understood that other shapes may be employed if desired. This plate is indicated generally at 5 and may be made of relatively heavy paper, cardboard, celluloid or synthetic material of light and inexpensive construction. This base plate is provided with a central aperture or opening 6 and an annular series of point openings 7 spaced preferably equi-distance apart and having their centers in a circle concentric with the opening 6. In using the pattern layout device, this base plate is placed upon the sheet or surface upon nited States Patent '7 of the base plate. lay plates 9, 10, and 11 respectively, are then applied "ice which the design is to be inscribed, and upon being properly positioned and .held fast, a pencil or other marker is passed through the annular series of openings 7 to be impressed upon the underlying surface to receive the design.

The first overlay plate isindicated at 8, is formed preferably of the same material as thebase plate 5 vandis circular in form, having a centralopening to coincide with the center opening 6 of the base plate and having its periphery or 'outeredge coinciding .with the centers of the annular openings 7 in thebase plate. The second overlay isrepresented at 9, .the third overlay at 10 and the fourth at 11; each of said overlay disks progressively reducing in diameterasshown, and all of said disks to be arranged concentric with the base plate 5.

.In the use of the device, the base plate 5 is first placed upon the surface to receive the decoration or design, and

. being held fast in such position, a pencil point applied to the various openings 7. is impressed upon the underlying surface. The base plate is then removed and the first overlay 8 is applied with its outer periphery intersecting the .various pencil points applied through the openings 7, whereupon a pencil following the circular edge of the overlayvplate 8 inscribes a circle which intersects the pencil points located through the openings The second, third and fourth overin turn concentricallyto the base plate 5 and pencil t lines-drawnaround the edges. of .the said overlay plates inscribelcircles .upon the surface to be decoratedconcentrio with the layout made by the base plate 5. It will be understood that a greater or less number of overlay plates may be employed if desired, and moreover the overlays need not be used in precisely the manner described, as it will be understood that the simpler patterns to be evolved will be laid out from one or possibly two overlay plates.

Pencil lines then drawn from the point arrived at through the center 6 radially through the points arrived at through the openings 7 will divide the circle into sectors of equal dimension. These radial lines will obviously intersect the circular lines produced by the marking outlining the outer peripheries of the several overlays which have been successively applied to the surface, and

with the use of a pencil, pen or brush, or with a simple compass or an irregular curve, various of the points of intersection of the radial lines with the circular lines may be connected to work out a pattern in accordance with the fancy of the operator. Fig. 5 illustrates a comparatively simple design evolved from the use of the base plate 5 and all four of the overlay plates as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be observed from Fig. 5 that the heavy lines are thus applied by the operator to produce the fanciful design shown. It will also be observed that a straight edge has been used to connect the points selected by the operator, but it will be understood that curved lines, either true or eccentric, can be utilized to connect the desired points in order to produce the design sought. Moreover, the points arrived at through the use of the base plate and one or more of the overlay plates, may be connected or joined by freehand operation to produce a desired effect. It will also be understood that if desired crayons or paints of various colors may be used in making the various connecting lines or filling in certain desired spaces in the work to produce an effect suited to the fancy or artistic ability of the operator.

It is to be understood that the size, shape and arrangement of the base plate and the various disks here illustrated may be varied or changed if desired. It is also apparent that the edges of the various overlay plates may be used to connect desired points of intersection of the radial lines with the circular lines in order to bring about a design or designs with figures involving curved patterns to suit the fancy of the operator. It is also contemplated that overlay designs of suitable size and shape may be applied to the various spaces produced by the geometrical layouts capable of being produced by the base plate and overlay plates here described for a more artistic and complex result.

Fig. 4 of the drawing shows a variation of overlay, wherein the flat plate having a center 12 to coincide with the center 6 of the base plate is in the form of a true five pointed star, the points of which may coincide either with the openings 7 or with any of the concentric lines produced by the circular overlay plates. The use of the star as an overlay enables the operator to produce lines to intersect the concentric rings different from those produced by straight radial lines as shown in Fig. 5, thus enabling the operator to greatly vary or change the pattern from those capable only of being developed from the truly radial lines.

By the arrangement here described, it is apparent that pattenrs or layouts may be obtained to enable the operator to produce a great variety of geometric or other figures without resorting to mathematical or geometrical formulae or geometrical instruments, thus enabling amateurs and children to readily produce symmetrical designs readily and with but little preliminary instruction.

I claim:

1. A pattern layout device comprising a thin circular flat base plate to be positioned upon the material to receive the layout having a center opening and a series of point openings inwardly from the periphery of said plate spaced equi-distant from each other and from the center opening, a series of flat circular plates decreasing progressively in diameter successively applied to the said material and each having a center opening coinciding with the center opening of the base plate and with their peripheries spaced inwardly from the outer edge reproduced over the base plate, the periphery of the first of the series of the flat plates intersecting the point openings of the base plate, and a flat star shaped overlay plate having a center opening to coincide with the center opening of the base plate and outer edges intersecting said point openings and cut away to provide angular edges extending inwardly of said overlay plate from the outer edges thereof.

2. A pattern layout device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the overlay plate comprises a five-pointed star and having the points cut-away so as to provide edges intersecting the point openings of the base plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 462,126 Griffiths Oct. 27, 1891 709,219 Hochspeier Sept. 16, 1902 757,246 Ablett Apr. 12, 1904 757,568 Renshaw Apr. 19, 1904 1,301,092 Bernard Apr. .22, 1919 2,476,338 Vitez July 19, 1949 OTHER REFERENCES Keutfel & Esser Co., 37th edition, 1927, New York, pg. 221.

Drafting Aids on page 98 of Popular Science, September 1945. 

